Overview

The Midnight King follows Nathan Cole, who has carried the truth about his father’s secret for years. Lucas Cole was a celebrated writer in his town. He was also a serial killer. When Lucas is found dead, Nathan finds his father’s final manuscript and a box of items from victims. Nathan must face the past and uncover buried secrets while others hunt the truth too.

Writing & Voice

We found Ashkanani’s writing sharp and unsettling. The narrative shifts between perspectives and buried documents, giving a layered view of crime and consequence. The tone stays tense, with long shadows of guilt and fear lingering in the prose.

Content & Perspective

The story moves through crime scenes, personal memories and manuscript pages. We see both Nathan’s struggle and the chilling clues left by Lucas’s life. Violence is present and disturbing, rooted in the mystery rather than sensationalism.

Themes

The Midnight King explores legacy, guilt, family trauma and the burden of truth. It asks how someone lives with what they know and what they hide, and whether secrets can ever be laid to rest without harm.

What Worked

• Complex psychological depth in characters and motivations.
• Layered narrative that gradually reveals truths.
• Tense, compelling mystery that holds attention.

Minor Quibbles

• Some scenes are very dark and may be hard to read for sensitive readers.
• Pacing can slow as internal reflection grows dense.

Final Thoughts

We found The Midnight King relentless and psychologically heavy, using fractured narratives and inherited guilt to probe how violence echoes through family, memory, and place.

Rating: ★★★★★ / 5